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Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to see if stimulation of the vagus nerve via a non-invasive device placed behind external ear can reduce physical and psychological discomfort during acute alcohol withdrawal in patients with alcohol use disorder when people just stop drinking alcohol and in detoxification stage.


Clinical Trial Description

The management of acute alcohol withdrawal is a clinical challenge, in part because there are limited medications available for the condition and the majority of the medications are controlled substances, which may cause significant adverse effects and can be potentially addictive. The rationale for using transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) on a specific target area of the ear is based on anatomical studies suggesting that this area is the only place on the human body surface where there is afferent vagus nerve distribution (Mercante et al., 2018). Therefore, direct stimulation of the afferent nerve fibers on the ear can produce an effect similar to that by implanted device-generated VNS yet without the need of surgical intervention. Although taVNS has not been tested for treatment of AUD, it interestingly appears to be very similar to auricular acupuncture that has been widely used for AUD. However, acupuncture needs to be administered by medical providers who have undergone long trainings and own special licensure, which is usually unavailable in acute detoxification units where patients receive treatment for acute alcohol withdrawal. The pilot study will enroll 70 evaluable subjects who are in inpatient detoxification unit randomized to receive single-blind treatment with vagus nerve stimulation or sham stimulation (1:1, VNS: sham). Evaluable subjects are those who complete stimulations (VNS) or sham 5 minutes twice a day for 4 days. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT04159909
Study type Interventional
Source Northwell Health
Contact
Status Withdrawn
Phase N/A
Start date January 31, 2024
Completion date January 30, 2025

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